The Insula: An Underestimated Brain Area in Clinical Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and Neurology

Overview

Journal Trends Neurosci

Specialty Neurology

Date 2017 Mar 19

PMID 28314446

Citations 164

Authors

Ho Namkung

Sun-Hong Kim

Akira Sawa

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Supported by recent human neuroimaging studies, the insula is re-emerging as an important brain area not only in the physiological understanding of the brain, but also in pathological contexts in clinical research. In this opinion article, we briefly introduce the anatomical and histological features of the human insula. We then summarize the physiological functions of the insula and underscore its pathological roles in psychiatric and neurological disorders that have long been underestimated. We finally propose possible strategies through which the role of the insula may be further understood for both basic and clinical neuroscience.

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